the divine art of bullish*t

Chapter 10

A/n- not edited

Anni swiftly grabs the dagger from my sheath and with a quick motion, she slams the hilt of it against the lock of the carriage. Meanwhile, I use my shoulder to forcefully push the door open. As soon as the door gives way, I grab onto the walls of the carriage to steady myself. But the door doesn't stay put and starts tumbling off the road, making me fear for my life.Suddenly, we pass a set of stone walls, and the people inside the carriage start pushing and shoving to jump out. 

I quickly stick my head around the corner to see what's happening. To my horror, I notice that in front of us, three more carriages are being forced into the training grounds. We don't have time to think, we need to act fast, and we're already here. 

"their going to kill us." i say to Anni.

"i know." she grabs my hand.

With adrenaline pumping through our veins, I grab Annis hand and leap out of the carriage and start sprinting towards the training college, dodging obstacles and narrowly avoiding being trampled by other carriages. We land on the gravel path and roll until we skid to a stop. We finally make it to the entrance of the college, panting and sweating. Anni gathers herself quicker than me and pulls me behind a building.

Dradevow guards push people out and lock them in shackles, i notice a tall woman with curly hair and dark skin snatch a map from one of the cadets in handcuffs. she must be the general over here. her voice booms over the prisoners and im surprised other people dont hear it

"you will be kept here for interrogation and will be-" shes cut off and i realise that Anni is pulling me around the building to a courtyard. everything in Dradevows is nicer. they have been winning the war recently, they have it better than us, their stone walls look more polished and their guards look like they actually want to be here, Gods, even their grass looks more alive.

I look up and see that Anni pulling us to a line of people getting their name written down  and handed something. when it comes to our turn, the guards bushy eyebrows rise and look at me like he's expecting something.

"name?" he asks like im stupid for not knowing.

"Verena Everson" I hope he wont notice my very Alvedeaen name. he doesnt. He scribbles in in his parchment and hands me two papers and a key.

I wait anxiously for Annika to get her papers, and once she does, we're led deeper into the courtyard, where people are waiting in some sort of formation. As we're new recruits, we stand at the back, trying to blend in and avoid drawing any unwanted attention to ourselves. I clasp the papers in my hands tightly, not daring to look at them just yet. 

Suddenly, the general who captured my people appears on the dais and strides confidently up to the podium. Her voice booms through the courtyard, sending shivers down my spine. I can't help but feel like a pawn in a much bigger game, and wonder what my fate will be in this new world.

"welcome Cadets." she starts, i tune out her dumb welcome speech. i look at the other volunteers. they look proud to be here. arrogant pieces of shit.  

As we stand there in the midst of the crowd, the last thing she says is something about being on time, and I roll my eyes. The tension in my chest rises as I realize that the crowd is dissipating and we need to move before we get caught. I quickly check my schedule and realize that Anni and I are not roommates. My heart sinks as I realize that I have a single room, while she has to share with someone else. It's not fair, and I can feel the frustration building inside me.

 Before she walks away, I grab her wrist and whisper urgently, "Meet me behind that building." I point with my eyes to where we hid when we first got here. She nods quickly and slips away into the crowd. I watch her go, feeling a sense of anxiety wash over me. I know we need to be careful and avoid getting caught, but the thought of being alone in my room is almost unbearable. I can feel the weight of the situation pressing down on me, and I know that I need to be careful if I want to make it through this school year unscathed. 

We'd be so fucked if we got caught. This wasn't how it was meant to go. the plan was to be scripted into the Avledean war academy and then be privately taken to Draevows. it was never meant to be like this but i guess i just have to suck it up.

As I push open the door to my dorm room, I take a moment to really take in my surroundings. The bed is centrally located, with the headboard pressed against the wall opposite me. Above the bed is a large window, which lets in plenty of natural light during the day. The sheets on the bed are plain black, which gives the room a sleek and modern feel. 

The comforter is a soft, velvety material in a deep shade of blue, which adds a pop of color to the room and makes the bed look inviting and cozy. To the right of the bed is a nightstand, which is adorned with a small lamp and a few personal items. On the top of the nightstand is a small vase of fresh flowers, which adds a touch of nature to the room and fills the air with a light, sweet fragrance. Next to the vase is a small stack of books, which I enjoy reading before bed each night. 

 Across from the bed is a large wooden wardrobe that provides ample storage space for my belongings. The wardrobe has two large doors that open outward, revealing a spacious interior with several shelves and hanging racks. 

The wood is a rich, dark color with a smooth finish, which gives the room a sense of warmth and sophistication. To the left of the wardrobe is a desk, which is pressed against the wall. The desk is cluttered with an array of quills, ink bottles, and parchment paper. There is a small lamp on the desk, which provides ample lighting for late-night study sessions. The chair at the desk is comfortable and well-worn, with a soft cushion that molds to my body. 

i notice the clock on my nightstand. i have a little over than 10 minutes until my first training session i walk out and my no one notices me slip away behind what i now know is the administration building. im about to make it but i run into a hard chest of a stranger.

wait. no. not a stranger. its fucking Mason.